summer in the city 「 s.stan 」

DAY 24

— AUGUST 24TH —

Sebastian really wasn't kidding. When he woke you up at six in the morning, you knew he had something up his sleeve – and if he was making you get up this early, it had better be good.

"Seb," you complained drowsily, trying to snuggle further into his chest. The two of you had slept in his bed last night and honestly, it was the best night's sleep you'd had since arriving in New York.

He simply chuckled, the deep sound making your heart jump. "Sorry, Y/N, we have to leave in an hour."

"Or we could just stay in bed for the whole day."

"But you said—"

"I know, I know," you grumbled, finally swinging your legs over the side of the mattress with a sigh. "I don't wanna waste the rest of the summer. Fine."

True to his word, an hour later, you were sitting on the passenger side of a car that Sebastian had hired until his own was fixed. He'd told you that the journey would take quite a while so, despite the loud nineties music that blared from the speakers, you curled your legs up on the seat and drifted into a semi-peaceful nap.

The next time you woke up, the windows were rolled down and you were affronted with the strong smell of cotton candy and donuts. For a second, you were confused; however, you soon recognised the glorious place before you.

"Coney Island!" you squealed, suddenly wide awake. Sebastian laughed and shook his head fondly as you leapt out of the parked car, eagerly skipping towards the attractions. He had to run to catch up with you; when he was by your side again, you happily slipped your hand into his, intertwining your fingers as you walked together.

Obviously, you wanted to ride the infamous Cyclone rollercoaster first – after all, you'd almost be assuming the role of forties Steve Rogers, sitting next to the real life Bucky Barnes. It was an opportunity too good to pass up.

Just as you reached the front of the queue, you caught Sebastian frowning slightly, deep in thought. Curious, you tugged gently on his hand, gaining his attention.

"What's up?" you asked lightly, not wanting to appear confrontational.

"I'm not sure if this was a good idea, Y/N," he sighed dejectedly. "I mean, you were in an accident less than a week ago, you have a concussion, and I decided to bring you here, of all places—"

"Seb," you interrupted, "I'll be okay."

He still wasn't convinced. "But what if you pass out or something? Even people who aren't concussed get dizzy and sick on rollercoasters."

"Hey, I'm no Steve Rogers, I can handle it," you joked, attempting to lighten the mood. Luckily, he cracked a tiny smile, and you grinned in return. "I took my medicine before we left, so I should be good for the rest of the day. But if I start to feel even a little bit dizzy, I promise I'll tell you. Does that make you feel better?"

Sebastian hesitated for a moment, but he eventually nodded, wrapping an arm around your waist protectively as you were finally allowed to board the rollercoaster.

When the ride began, he found himself captivated – not by the gorgeous view of the ocean, not by the glowing lights that prettily lit up the amusement park, but by you. By the way your hair blew in the wind, the way you squealed when the tracks dipped steeply, the way your eyes sparkled in the sun. And suddenly, he was reminded of how grateful he was to have had the privilege of meeting you.

As soon as the ride was over and you were back on solid ground, Sebastian's arms were around you and he was hugging the life out of you. Of course, you had no idea what was going on – but you weren't complaining, either. You simply hugged him back, placing a soft kiss to his jaw.

"What was that about?" you giggled when he released you from his embrace.

"Nothing, I just, I love you," he mumbled.

Your heart fluttered and you blushed, still not used to hearing those words from him. And you were grateful for him too, for everything that he'd done for you that summer.

"I love you too. Now... let's go again?"

"Anything for my girl."

The rest of the day seriously exceeded your expectations. You tried out all of the rides, played a lot of arcade games that were probably rigged, and ate your weight in junk food, before finally ending up on the beach.

By that point, it was getting late, meaning that most of the loud, screaming children and families had disappeared. The previous hustle and bustle was replaced by nothing but the soothing sound of the waves lapping at the sand, while the sun began to set, painting the sky in gorgeous hues of orange, pink and purple.

You curled into Sebastian's side, stuck between choosing to admire the sunset or to just admire him. Eventually, you settled for the best of both worlds; pulling out your phone, you snapped a quick photo of him with the sky as the backdrop. You hadn't intended for him to notice, but he turned to you with a tender smile, causing you to blush.

"I can delete it, if you want," you offered quickly. But he shook his head.

"Don't. Soon, memories will be all we have left," he reminded you gently.

It was a bitter thought, but it was true and both of you were all too aware of it. Nodding ruefully, you lifted your phone once again, this time turning it to front camera with the intention of using the self timer function. Unexpectedly, Sebastian pulled you into his lap and kissed you as the timer counted down.

And there it was – the perfect photo, one that you already wanted to print and frame and keep with you forever.